Though not an easy task, trying to understand and play the game of poker is quite challenging. A game that is not mostly driven by one’s holdings is more often than not, a game of pure luck. One where an individual’s destiny can determine the outcome of the game is not something I would call highly predictable.
And yet… shuffle, the dealer’s hand, the fast play, the slow play, the betting, the almost aggressive all acting in concert to, indeed, control the final result are somehow miraculous. Perhaps there will be some day soon that the secrets to revealing what is in the human mind can be mastered. Such a day comes in the shape of mind reading.
Mind reading is the ability to actually read the thoughts of the opponent. The way it is usually done is that the opponent is asked to name the deck (the deck contains 52 cards, broken into four suits, spades, hearts, and diamonds). The name chosen by the opponent is then subjected to a psychic reading.
Many versions of this technique exist. You can actually force yourself to reveal secrets from your hidden psyche. The steps are mostly dependent on the strengths of your opponents. You should be able to detect weakness based on their reactions. You should be able to read the written and spoken words that reveal certain information from the opponent.
But behind the different styles of mind reading there is one and the same principle. You have to analyze the main idea of the game. You have to learn what the objective of the game is, what are the reasons for your victory and to learn from your mistakes. Even if you do not intend to trick, you should be able to reveal some insights into your opponent’s psychology. You can do this by analogy. If your opponent always check raises when a loose player is at the table and you always call checks when the tight player is at the table, you will find it very difficult to tell the loose player from the tight one.
One of the biggest mistakes of many pokerbo players is that they get too emotional and go on tilt. Do not fall into the same trap. If you are not feeling good about your hands at the table you will not be able to play your best game. Hands can really Tell a lot about a player. You will be able to read the cards with hands. When you start playing you should start out very slow and build your confidence level. You can slowly build your bankroll by playing on low money tables. By doing this you will have a bankroll that is useful for you when you move up the levels.
By starting out very slow you will be able to detect the tendencies of many players. Once you are able to identify a player who will be difficult to read you can take all the time you need to make a move. You can intimidate players with big stacks by taking them to the cleaners. Or if you are in a middle position and feel vulnerable pre-flop you can pick the easiest way to pick up a pot. If you are playing as a poor player you will have more players in the game that will be trying to take your money. Being aware of their styles will help you be more strategic.
One of the biggest secrets of successful poker is being able to read your opponents. If you know a player is likely to fold very easily unless he feels very strongly that you will not be able to take his stack, a large percentage of his stack will not be dedicated to the pot unless he is confident you will not be able to take it out. Being able to read this type of player is a skill that becomes obsolete the more you play poker.